Louis Faure

Louis Faure, Naples, Italy, circa 1700. Very rare gilt metal pair-cased alarm watch with single-hand. Outer: two-body, pierced and engraved with foliage, the back with four vignettes depicting a bird, a dolphin, a hare and a lion, the bezel with four vignettes showing rural scenes. Inner: two-body, "bassine", the band pierced and engraved with inhabited foliage, polished back with two winding apertures. Gilt metal, champlevé Roman numerals on matte ground, inner quarter-hour ring, central alarm ring with Arabic chapter and blued steel "tulip" pointer indicating the hours. Blued steel "arro" hand for setting the alarm.